The Best Day
by DancesWithSeatbelts
Summary: Gruvia week submission: for the prompt 'answer' Once Juvia listens, the answer she's been waiting for is a whole lot more enjoyable than she expected. Fluff
The light snow coming down had turned into a thick flurry. Juvia wasn't able to see Gray from a block behind anymore. She hastened her pace and gradually lessened the distance. The flying snow had in turn obscured her for a long time. He'd turned around at the exact time she'd been visible under a street light. Freezing in place hadn't worked. Gray had called out to her and demanded she give up or join him.

Not knowing what to say, Juvia meekly trudged over to the waiting man. He shook his head and offered her his arm. "I thought you gave up following me."

"Juvia did, but sometimes Juvia misses..." She bit her lip and spoke softer, "watching Gray-sama go about his business." Juvia lowered her eyes to the snowy sidewalk.

"Tch." Gray patted Juvia's hand, now in the crook of his elbow. "You were doing so good - you'll have to give me a forfeit now. Mmmm, what do I want?" He began walking down the sidewalk, towing Juvia with him. "I'm heading back to my apartment now, you wanna watch a movie?" Gray turned to face Juvia as he asked, paying no attention to the conditions underfoot. He slipped, pulling Juvia down on top of himself. She shrieked in surprise as he yelped. "Shit!"

"Is Gray-sama okay?" Juvia struggled to pick herself up and help Gray rise to his feet. He acted as a dead weight and sabotaged her efforts.

"I think I'm fine." The ice mage began laughing, clutching onto Juvia as she wriggled. "I'll never be able to live slipping on ice down."

"Juvia will never tell!"

"I know what I want now, though." Gray grinned up at Juvia, entwining his fingers with hers. "A kiss."

The water mage couldn't believe her ears.

"Yup, a kiss will take my mind off slipping on my own element."

"Juvia thinks she is hallucinating."

"Nuh uh. Kiss me."

Juvia frowned, her eyes scrunching up as she went over Gray's words. He could not have told her to kiss him - that was impossible. With urgent fingers she checked his skull for damage and then considered further. "Can Gray-sama pinch Juvia? Juvia must be dreaming."

"Is this the same girl who lived with me for six months after Fairy Tail disbanded? Things have been super hectic after the battle with Zeref," teased Gray. "I'm close to giving you an answer to your question; no pinching, only kissing."

Slow and hesitant, Juvia leaned closer and aimed her lips at Gray's cheek. Her heart was thumping madly, she was sure it might tear clean out of her chest. Snowflakes were piling up around them, but she didn't feel the cold. The surrounding dark made Gray's request feel even more intimate. Gathering her courage, Juvia gave him a chaste kiss. She screwed her eyes shut, pushing against Gray's chest and rolled over to climb to her feet.

Juvia brushed clumps of snow off her pant legs, keeping hands that wanted to cling to Gray busy. She swatted at her coat to remove more of the sticking white stuff, turning to check if she'd gotten it all. She chanced looking at Gray and saw he was still sprawled on the ground.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia dove to her knees, unheeding of the slush wetting her pants. "Why are you still down? Did Juvia hurt you?"

"Only my pride." Gray levered himself into sitting upright with Juvia's help and just sat there laughing.

Confused and unsettled, Juvia blinked and stared before she joined in giggling. "Gray-sama is very different seeming."

"Help me up, would you?" Gray offered Juvia both his hands. After rising, Gray refused to let go of her left hand and began to escort her towards his apartment. "Now you're soaking wet, come in and dry off."

"Juvia is a water mage, the wet does not matter."

"Humour me, will ya?"

"Y-yes, okay. Juvia will come in only to dry off." Nodding to herself, the blue haired girl tried to distance her mind from Gray squeezing her hand. Half sure she was fantasizing, Juvia stole glances at their clasped hands. All in an effort to force her eyes and brain to believe.

Gray had been about to re-issue his invitation to watch a movie. Seeing Juvia caught up in her old habits made him determined to not give her the chance to slip away. The rest of the walk was in silence. The flying snow made Juvia's cheeks rosy. Gray did his best to keep his smile from taking over his whole face. He had to bite the inside of his cheek and settled for humming when he felt as though he might burst into song.

He hustled Juvia up the apartment stairs and held onto her hand even as he unlocked his front door. Gray ushered Juvia in before him and relocked the door behind them. He hung up his coat on a hook on the wall and held out his hands for hers. "There's lots of towels in the bathroom - help yourself."

"..." Juvia's voice had deserted her, her mouth moving with no sound. Panic flared in her eyes as she turned to face Gray.

"It's the door right behind you."

Juvia escaped into the relative safety of the bathroom.

Whistling, Gray strode into his bedroom and stripped. A lifetime of habit he couldn't overcome. Comfortable clad only in his skin, he lingered over donning fresh clothes. He was in the midst of stepping into jogging pants when he heard his connecting door to the bathroom open.

Juvia had wiped her clothes dry, and was still rubbing her hair with the towel that obscured her vision. She lowered the towel and gasped, not knowing where to look. Gray had just pulled his pants to his ass. The noise of the door hadn't registered with him at first, and he hadn't hurried to cover himself. Juvia felt her pulse leap. She'd seen Gray shirtless many times. She'd even stripped with him as they battled foes together. But it was an oddly sexy kink to watch him cover his nudity.

"Sorry! Juvia is so sorry!" The water mage screwed her eyes shut and hung her head. "Juvia will leave!" Keeping her eyes shut, she whirled around and fumbled her way to the door. Frantic, Juvia kept babbling apologies and promises to forget seeing anything.

"Chill, will ya?" Gray shrugged into a t-shirt. He hurried over to where Juvia was in danger of destroying a floor lamp. The woman was searching for the exit with her eyes still shut. "Don't move!"

She responded to his authority. An electric tingle raced down her spine and she froze with her arms straight out searching for the door.

"Crissakes, open your eyes," said Gray. Stomping over to the now motionless girl, Gray pushed the lamp out of the way and stood in front of Juvia. "C'mon, open 'em up."

The corners of Juvia's mouth tightened and turned down as she obeyed Gray. "Juvia will leave now and not bother Gray-sama further." She thrust the used towel at the ice mage and pivoted to leave.

She didn't get far. A large, cool hand grabbed her wrist, forcing her to turn around. "Don't go. You're here and we're not busy fighting for our lives..." Gray stepped closer and gave Juvia a look she couldn't decipher. "...I wanna give you my answer."

"Juvia is happy to wait more." She bit her lip and let her eyes scan Gray's bedroom. His discarded clothes were strewn from the door to in front of his closet. His dresser had mismatched drawer pulls and none were shut flush. A shopping bag peeking out from clothes packed into the closet had signs of wear and tear. Juvia wanted to memorize each detail. After his rejection she was sure to never have the opportunity to be this close again.

Shaking her head, Juvia packed her negative musings away. She'd accept Gray's words and do her best to be his friend. A watery smile flitted across her face. "Did Gray know that Meredy has started exchanging letters with Juvia? Juvia has to thank Gray-sama."

"What?" Gray let the towel drop. "I don't follow you."

"Juvia cherishes her nakama." Juvia nodded, warming to her subject. "Juvia learned this from Gray-sama - how to live for the ones you love. Juvia will never forget that lesson."

"What's that got to do with Meredy?" He scratched his neck, "don't get me wrong, it's commendable you're widening your circle - but I don't know what she has to do with my answer."

"Juvia treasures the love of her friends, and she now has lots of friends." Finished her spiel, Juvia fidgeted, tugging down the hem of her sweater.

Gray frowned, trying to figure out Juvia's thought processes was as difficult as remaining fully clothed. He rubbed his forehead, forcibly smoothing the lines. "I thought you wanted an answer."

Scared of having her hopes dashed, Juvia blurted without thinking. "Juvia likes waiting!"

"Since when?" Gray snorted. "Heh, then you can wait through a movie." He dragged Juvia out of his room and into the living room, pointing to the couch. "Sit down and relax." Gray hunkered down and rummaged his shelf of movies. "Action, comedy, slasher or drama?"

"Whatever Gray-sama wants." Juvia sat cross-legged and hugged a throw pillow, making sure to keep her distance as Gray dropped onto the couch with the remote. He clicked 'play', turning his head to watch Juvia focus all her attention on the screen. Sighing he turned up the volume and set the clicker down.

Gray was far more entranced with the reactions of Juvia watching the movie than his own. She never failed to jump as the suspenseful music ramped up and then dropped. As certain characters made poor safety decisions, she shouted advice. When the obligatory kiss scene popped up on screen, her breathing became heavier.

All during the hour and forty minutes of average horror movie events, Gray pondered how Juvia would react. He'd promised to respond what felt like eons ago. He wanted to share his decision. The end credits played and the screen went dark. Gray sat with his chin propped up in one hand and the other drumming a staccato beat on his kneecap.

Juvia released her abused cushion. "Thank you for a lovely time, Juvia must get going." She made to get off the couch. Gray snagged her wrist and yanked her back down. She made the cutest 'eep' sound and blinked owlishly at the ice mage.

He met her confused look with a sheepish smile. "You can't go just yet." When Juvia bit her lips, Gray huffed. "I don't get it. I thought you'd be over the moon to know."

Realizing her stay of execution was well and truly over, Juvia took a deep shuddering breath. "Go ahead and tell Juvia she's only ever going to be Gray-sama's friend." She stared at her trembling hands. After concentrating she forced them to still. "Juvia will always be your friend, Gray-sama rejecting her feelings is a good thing." A tear slid down her cheek and she sniffed. She knuckled away the traces before knotting her fingers back together. "Juvia will always love Gray-sama." She paused, her heart was cold and pumping sludge around her veins. "Juvia will continue to live for those she loves - just at a further distance."

"That's jumping the gun a little, don't you think?" Gray reached out to pat Juvia's hand. He frowned when she flinched, raising her thickly fringed eyes that already seemed lost.

"Juvia can make no better offer." Breath hitching as she fought her inclination to cry in despair, Juvia rubbed a fist against her sternum. "What does Gray-sama suggest?"

"First," Gray crooked his finger at Juvia. "Come closer and _listen_ before you respond." He waited and then had to haul the pale girl to his side. "Second," he slung an arm around her neck and leaned against her. "It's a bit rude to jump in and answer for someone else ya know?"

Mute, Juvia nodded; her mind was busy trying to shut down to protect her feelings. She looked at Gray's hand touching her collarbone, resting close to her breasts.

"Third," Gray turned his head to speak soft into Juvia's ear. "I don't recall rejecting you."

"..." Juvia whipped her head around to face Gray, colouring as she inadvertently brushed her lips on his face. She made to pull away but he gripped tight and gave her what she'd consider a dangerous smile.

"Are you listening?" He disengaged and allowed a portion of distance between them. "You don't know what I want until I tell you - and the same goes for you. I won't assume I know your own answer until you give it to me."

Juvia forced her hands to separate and lay still. "Juvia understands." Her voice was raw, most of her believed Gray was being cruel to be kind in the long run. Hearing him say no would kill her dreams far more efficiently than assuming his rejection. Thinking back on all the happy occasions she'd been by Gray's side gave her courage. A warm and true smile curved her lips. Reaching a calm point, Juvia took hold of Gray's free hand. "Juvia welcomes learning what Gray-sama has worked towards figuring out."

"I," Gray gazed into the sincere pools of Juvia's eyes, "want to have a relationship with you." Expecting anything from screams of joy to Juvia collapsing into a puddle of water, Gray was mystified when she didn't react.

"Juvia is not sure if she is hallucinating." The water mage gave a tentative smile to Gray. "Can you tell Juvia in another way or ...?"

"As many times as I need to show you," he grinned, "I can give you all the reassurance your sweet heart needs." Gray hauled an unresisting Juvia onto his lap. He stared into her turbulent eyes, rubbing his hands on her shoulders. "I," he gave her a swift kiss. "Want to have," he kissed her again. "A romantic," this kiss was open-mouthed and lingering. "Relationship with you," he gasped and finished with his hands plunged into her curls, kissing her again.

Panting together, Juvia and Gray let tension drain away. Having his desires made known gave Gray a sense of peace he hadn't felt in years. Juvia felt as if she could fly to the moon on the strength of her feelings alone.

"Tell me more," Juvia said. "I don't want to misunderstand Gray-sama. This is very important and Juvia does not like to make mistakes."

A hearty laugh boomed from the ice wizard, "you make a valid point!" He licked his lips and stared wordless for a moment at the beautiful blushing woman on his lap. "I," he sucked Juvia's lower lip into his mouth, then released it with a 'pop'. "Want to be your love." Gray smiled tenderly, "and I want you to be mine."

Juvia almost crushed Gray's ribs as she hugged him. "Juvia accepts!" She paused as her thoughts ran rampant. "Juvia agrees to a romantic relationship!"

She peppered Gray with ardent kisses. Juvia poured her mighty feelings into her efforts. Some of her psyche was afraid she would wake in her solitary bed and the other part was an opportunist. Kissing Gray was delightful. She couldn't ever imagine not taking advantage of being allowed to touch him.

"Today has been the best day of my life," vowed Gray.

"Juvia agrees!" She flushed and corrected, "The best day of Juvia's life!"

Gray said, "And now the best day of _our_ lives."


End file.
